X-ray apparatus



March 31, 1936. o. H; PIEPER I X-RAY APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3- March 31, 1936. O H. p p

XRAY APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1928 INVENTORI SCWZHP Par zis ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE X-RAY APPARATUS Oscar H. Pieper, Rochester, N. Y. Application June 18, 1928, Serial No. 286,213 22 Claims. (01. 25034) The present invention relates to X-ray apparatus adapted for use in the making of anatomical examinations, such for example, as are required in the practice of dentistry, one object of the invention being to provide an improved apparatus of this class which is compact and effectively insulated so that it can be handled under all conditions of operation without danger of electrical shock.

A further object of the invention is to provide an X-ray apparatus of unitary construction comprising an X-ray tube and container therefor and a transformer immersed in a body of cooling and of the tube holding container to more effectively insulate and cool the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide in apparatus of the class described certain advantageous structural features which will facilitate assembly of the parts, reduction in size of the unit and which will render it comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an X-ray apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with the cover plate removed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3a-3a of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections for the apparatus.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The present invention embodies a unitary X-ray apparatus in which a high tension transformer is disposed in a container and immersed in a body of insertion and removal thereof through an opening at the front of the second container normally closed by a removable cover plate.

In the drawings l represents a container constructed of metal or other suitable material having at its rear side a reduced portion II conforming to the general contour of the transformer shown therein. The front portion of the container is made larger than the rear portion in order to accommodate a second container l3 which is preferably constructed of suitable insulating material, as, for example, phenol condensation products such as bakelite. The sec- 5 0nd container is provided with a closure or cover plate M which is made detachable to permit of the insertion within and removal from said container of the X-ray tube, indicated generally at IS. The container I 0 is provided with an outwardly turned flange [6 which forms a support for the outwardly turned flange I! of the tube holding container. A gasket l8 or the like is interposed between the flanges l6 and I! to afford a fluid tight joint between the same. A similar gasket I 9 is interposed between the flange l1 and the cover plate I4. Suitable screws or bolts serve to connect the flanges I6 and I l as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the two containers are permanently connected together. Additional screws or 20 bolts 2| are adapted to connect the cover with said flanges as indicated in Fig. 1 and may be removed to permit removal of the cover when it is desired to remove the old and insert a new tube within the container I3. In this way the two containers are securely connected independ- The side and rear walls of the inner or tube holding container are spaced from the walls of the outer container as shown so that the inner container is substantially surrounded by a body for the transformer and the tube holding container.

The transformer comprises a loop-shaped core 22 carrying at its as the supports 25 which are suitably connected with the rear wall of the container. Plate like members 26 and 21 engage the opposite sides of the core 22 to support the same. A suitable number of screws 28 serve to connect the plate like members to the supports 25 whereby the transformer is securely held within the rear portion of the container I0.

The X-ray tube may be of any suitable or preferred type, being preferably constructed in a manner to permit it to be laterally withdrawn from the container I 3 by transverse movement through the front of the latter when the cover or closure [4 has been removed. For this purpose the mountings for the tube are so constructed as to permit it to be readily detached without loosening or removing any of the electrical connections between the tube and the transformer. Thus the X-ray tube may be easily removed and a new one inserted whenever necessary by persons who have little knowledge of apparatus of this class.

Within the X-ray tube are indicated generally at 29 and 30 the anode and cathode or ray projectin parts of the apparatus which may be constructed in any suitable or preferred manner and which are properly sealed within the tube.

A stem or terminal rod 3| constructed of copper or other suitable conducting material is joined with the anode and has a right angular portion 32 slidably engaging the terminal mounting 33 with which is connected the high tension winding of the transformer. The mounting is preferably in the form of a metallic sleeve or socket within which the angular portion 32 of the copper rod or stem is telescoped. The sleeve is suitably connected with the rear wall 34 of the tube container, being preferably projected through and anchored therein as shown in Fig. l. Formed integral with the sleeve is a semi-circular radiator 35 projecting within and cooled by the oil surrounding the transformer as shown in Fig. 1.

The cathode or filament end of the X-ray tube is provided with laterally extending terminal plugs 33 and 3"! constructed of metal and connected with the glass tube I5 in any suitable manner. The incandescent filament 38 is connected with the plugs 36' and 31 by the conductors 39 and 40 respectively. The plugs 36 and 31 are detachably connected with the terminal mountings 4i and 42 secured upon the rear wall 34 of the container and preferably comprising metallic sleeve or socket like members for receiving the plugs as shown in Fig. 1.

The sleeve 41 is projected through the wall 34 and, like the sleeve 33 is so anchored within said wall as to form a liquid tight joint whereby to prevent the escape of oil from the container l0 into the tube holding container IS.

The secondary coils 24 are grounded on the container Ill at 43. The conductor 44 of said coils is extended through an opening in the terminal mounting 33 where it is clamped in engagement with the surface 45 thereof by a washer 4-6. The washer is preferably constructed of lead or other relatively soft material having the dual purpose of forming a seal for the opening through which the conductor 44 extends and for clamping it in close contact with the surface 45. The lead washer is clamped in position by a screw 41 as shown in Fig. 1, the head of the screw being preferably made largeenough to fit the bore 48 of the sleeve 33. The lead washer is preferably of the dished type so that when pressure is applied upon the convex side thereof by the head of the screw the washer will tend to flatten out whereby its peripheral edge will be tightly forced into contact with the wall of the sleeve to form a sealed joint for preventing the escape of the oil into the sleeve.

The opening through the sleeve 4| for the conductor 49 of the transformer is likewise sealed and the end of said conductor is clamped in position upon the surface 50 of said sleeve by the same type'of washer and screw described above for the conductor 44 of the transformer.

Metallic plugs 41a and 42a are extended through the cover plate I4 and are respectively connected with the sleeve-like mountings 4| and 42 by conductors 49a and 40a as shown in Fig. 1, which as will be understood are made long enough to permit removal of the cover plate without having to disconnect the conductors at either end. The plugs are adapted to receive the circuit wires for the filament or cathode end of the tube.

Suitable binding posts 5! and 52 are carried by the container iii for receiving the conductors 5Ia and 52a of the primary coils 23 of the transformer. The binding posts are also adapted to receive the wires leading from the supply line as shown in the diagrammatic arrangement of Fig. 4.

The usual detachable cone I40. through which the rays are projected is preferably screwed into position upon the cover plate 14 opposite the target portion of the anode 29 as shown in Fig. l.

The anode end of the X-ray tube is surrounded by a barrier 340. which serves to prevent surface creeping of the current passing through terminal mounting 33 which might otherwise find its way to the outside metallic container l0 through the end wall of the tube holding container. The barrier is preferably in the form of an upstanding U-shaped wall formed integral with the rear wall 34 of the tube holding container.

The circuit arrangement indicated diagrammatically in Fig. t comprises generally the primary and secondary windings 23a and 24a respectively, the latter preferably including four coils as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The secondary ground is indicated at 43, the same being made on the container ID. The cathode heating transformer is indicated at 53, which includes a secondary winding connected to the filament as shown in Fig. 4. The filament control is indicatedat 54, and the filament switch at 55. The main supply line switch is shown at 55. The X-ray switch at 51, while an auto transformer is indicated at 58 for adjusting the voltage impressed upon the apparatus.

It will be readily understood that there is a decided advantage in mounting the tube holding container within the transformer container and disposing it within the body of oil or other suitable fiuid surrounding the transformer as shown in Fig. 1. In this way a single body of oil is employed to insulate and 0001 both the trans-' former and the tube holding container. With this arrangement the tube holding chamber and the tube therein are effectively cooled without having to mount the tube directly within the cooling fluid. One advantage of this is that the tube may be readily removed when desired without first having to draw off the oil in which it is customary to mount the tube. With the present arrangement the entire unit is enclosed in a single casing or container, and all of the operating parts are surrounded by the cooling and insulating fluid whereby more complete protection against electric shocks is afforded both to the operator and the patient while at the same time the size of the apparatus is reduced to a minimum.

Furthermore, by using the inner or tube holding container to close one side of the outer or fluid holding container, the amount of material necessary to construct the apparatus is considerably reduced, and a saving in the cost of manufacture is thereby effected.

By extending the X-ray tube longitudinally of and parallel with the coils of the transformer, and placing the same relatively close together, a comparatively small and compact unit is afforded which is relatively light, and therefore more easily movement without disconnecting or detaching any parts other than the closure M.

The present X-ray unit may be adjustably mounted on or suspended from any suitable superator in making from time to time.

I claim as my invention:

1. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a fluid container, a second container closing one side of the fluid container and includwall, separate terminal mountings for the tube extending transversely thereof and secured upon said rear wall, a transformer within the fluid container and conductors connecting the high tension windings of the transformer with two of said terminal mountings.

2. An X-ray apparatus comprising the com bination of a main container open at one side sulating liquid therein surrounding that portion of the second container projecting therein, an

former in the main container and connections between two of said terminal mountings and the high tension windings of the transformer.

3. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a fluid container, a second container projecting therein and serving as a closure memthe former being removable without breaking said seal, an X-ray tube within the second container supported upon and in parallel relation to said rear wall, a transformer secured within the fluid 4. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combicontainer, an X-ray tube within the second container substantially paralleling said removable 5. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a main container having side and rear walls, a second container forming the front wall of the main container and having an outer removable wall, a transformer within the main container, an X-ray tube within the second container having angularly disposed terminal portions, mountings carried by the second container upon which said terminal portions are free to slide and conductors extending from the high tension windings of the transformer and connect- 'ed with two of said mountings independent of said terminal portions.

6. An X-ray apparatus 7. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a fluid container, a second container connected therewith and having a wall closing one side of the fluid container, an X-ray tube mounted within the second container upon said wall, the latter having an upstanding barrier mountings, binding posts threaded Within the last mentioned terminal mountings and adapted to receive the ends of said conductors and washers of relatively soft material interposed between the heads of the binding posts and said conductor ends adapted to both clamp said ends upon the last mentioned terminal mountings and to seal the openings therein.

10. An X-ray apparatus comprising, bination of an X-ray tube carwith two of said terminal portions.

11. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a main fluid holding container, a

, ed by container and extending within and substantially surrounded by the fluid of the main container, an X-ray tube disposed within the body portion of the second container arranged to project the rays through said front wall and having separate terminal mountings secured upon and extending transversely of the rear wall, a transformer within the fluid holding container and conductors connecting the high tension windings of the transformer with two of said terminal mountings.

12. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a main container open at one side and having a projecting flange, a second container having a body portion disposed within the main container in spaced relation to its walls and having a flange seated upon the flange of the main container, said second container including a cover plate secured upon its flange, said main container having a body of insulating liquid surrounding the body portion of the second container projecting therein, an X-ray tube having its terminal portions and its ray projecting portion within the body of the second container and a transformer in the main container having its high tension coils connected with two of the terminals of said tube.

13. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a container having a body of insulating fluid other than air therein, a. transformer within said container, a second container closing one side of the fluid container and serving to seal the latter, said second container including a rear wall and a removable cover plate through which the rays are projected, an X-ray tube within the second container, terminal mountings for the tube extending transversely thereof and forwardly from said rear wall and detachably receiving the tube, said tube being removable from said mountings by an outward transverse movement and connections between the high tension windings of the transformer and two of said terminal mountings.

14. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a main container having therein a fluid of a high dielectric strength other than air, a second container disposed within the main container and having a wall closing one side of the main container, an X-ray tube mounted within the second container upon said wall substantially in parallel relation thereto, said second container and the tube therein being substantially surroundthe fluid in the main container, a transformer within the fluid container and connections leading from the high tension windings of the transformer through said wall to two of the terminals of the tube;

15. An X-ray apparatus comprising the combination of a fluid container, a second container secured thereto having a rear wall and a remov- V able front wall, an X-ray tube within the second container having at its anode end a right angle terminal portion and at its filament end a pair of right angle terminal portions, spaced mountings on said rear wall detachably receiving said right angle terminal portions said tube being detachable from said mountings by an outward transverse movement and a transformer within the fluid container electrically connected with two of said mountings independently of the terminal portions thereof.

16. A device of the character described comprising a main tank serving as a transformer casing, a body of insulating material contained within said main tank. a high tension transformer mounted within said main tank and insulated therefrom by said body of insulating material, a containing vessel mounted within said main tank, a vacuum discharge tube mounted within said containing vessel, means connected with said vacuum discharge tube for diffusing heat from said vacuum discharge tube into said body of insulating material, and connections from said high tension transformer to said vacuum discharge tube, for energizing said vacuum discharge tube.

17. The combination of a main tank serving as a transformer casing, a high tension transformer mounted therein, a body of insulating material contained within said main tank and covering said high tension transformer, an auxiliary tank detachably connected with saidmain tank and disposed below the exterior surface of the latter, said auxiliary tank while in position upon said main tank being partially submerged in said body of insulating material and forming substantially two compartments separated by a partition, a vacuum tube housed within said auxiliary tank, and connections from said transformor to said auxiliary tank and said vacuum tube housed therein, for the purpose of energizing said vacuum tube.

18. In X-ray apparatus, a casing containing a Volume of cooling and insulating material, an X-ray tube located exteriorly of the casing and provided with spaced electrode terminals, a source of high tension electrical energy housed within the casing and immersed in said cooling and insulating material, mountings on a wall of the easing detachably receiving the electrode terminals of the tube respectively, one of said mountings having cooling means located within the casing and immersed in the cooling and insulating ma terial, and high tension conductors passing through the cooling and insulating material to connect two of said mountings with said high tension source.

19. In X-ray apparatus, an X-ray tube provided with electrode terminal portions, a casing containing a volume of cooling and insulating material, a source of high tension electrical energy housed within said casing and immersed in said cooling and insulating material for energizing said tube, bushings sealed in a wall of said casing, said bushings being provided with recessed portions and two of said recessed portions forming terminals connected to said high tension source, said recessed portions being adapted to receive the electrode terminal portions of said X-ray tube, and one of said terminals having a cooling radiator located within the cooling and insulating material in said casing in heat conducting communication with one of the electrode terminal portions of said X-ray tube.

20. In X-ray apparatus, an X-ray tube including electrode terminals, a casing containing a volume of cooling and insulating material, a source of high tension electrical energy housed within said casing and immersed in said cooling and insulating material for energizing said X-ray tube, spaced bushings secured on a wall of said casing and provided with recessed portions in which the electrode terminals of the tube are detachably extended, said bushings having terminals electrically connected with the electrode terminals of said X-ray tube, and electrical conductors passing through the cooling and insulating material to connect two of said electrical terminals to said high tension source.

21. In X-ray apparatus, a casing contaning a 2,036,096 5 volume of cooling and insulating material, a containing a volume of cooling and insulating source of high tension electrical energy housed material, a source of high tension electrical enwithin the casing and immersed in said cooling ergy housed within the casing and immersed in and insulating material, said casing having a said cooling and insulating material, said casing closing wall at one side thereof provided with having awall serving to close one side thereof and 5 electrical terminal portions sealed within said provided with electrical terminals for detachably wall, an X-ray tube located at the exterior side receiving the electrode terminal portions of the of said wall and provided with spaced electrode tube, one of said electrical terminals being reterminal portions detachably connected respeccessed and receiving one of the electrode terminal tively with said electrical terminals, one of said portions of the tube therein, said recessed ter- 10 electrical terminals having cooling means located minal extending through said Wall and having within the casing and immersed in the cooling cooling means disposed Within the casing and and insulating material, and conductors passing immersed in the cooling and insulating material, through the cooling and insulating material and and conductors passing through the cooling and connecting two of said electrical terminal portions insulating material and connecting two of said 15 with said high tension source of electrical energy. electrical terminals with said high tension source 22. In X-ray apparatus, an X-ray tube proof electrical energy.

vided with electrode terminal portions, a casing OSCAR H. PIEPER. 

